kids in USA

This is sort of undated... an overview of my kids English growth in USA. (note - I'm not teaching in a classroom this month while in USA, except for teaching the GDU course, so I'm writing this as a "language teacher/observer.")

I try to bring my kids to USA every 18 months or so. This will be their longest visit: Jan 18 - Feb 15 2011. Last visit was summer 2009, prior was about Jan 4 - 28, 2008, and we celebrated a late Christmas at their grandparents' home. (I don't remember the timing of earlier visits.)

That "late Christmas" visit in 2008 was very significant. My daughter was 3 1/2 then (she's 6 1/2 now). She never spoke English prior to that visit, though she heard it frequently. When she first came, she would speak only to my brother (#5 of 7 sons, I'm son #3) who speaks Korean - he was in the Marine Corps in Korea for two tours, has a Korean wife, he speaks trashy but pretty fluent Korean). By the time she left California she would speak with my mother and father, a little chatterbox, but her English was very limited. More importantly, when they got back to Korea, she continued to use English -- with her older brother! He had always yelled at her in English as well as Korean, such as "get out of my room!" That was a pleasant surprise, and they still often talk to each other in English. One day I asked my son why, and he just looked at me in surprise, as if "why not? it's not special." He said "I don't think about that."

Last visit, we went on an overnight camping trip with another brother (#4). My daughter didn't love the camping, but she loved spending time with her uncle. (He's very fun.) The visit definitely impacted the kids fluency (comfort and speed) in English and added to their cultural awareness.

This visit, the kids were speaking only English until my wife came, and she speaks Korean to them more than I wish (while we are here). So they are using some Korean, but still mostly English, and watching 4 hours per day or more of American TV. I don't mind the TV, it both gives me a break and loads up their English. We are reading books from the local library. My son is definitely behind in his reading skills, compared to American kids (maybe early 2nd grade level, and he's 11.5 years old!) though he's very good in Korean reading. But he's gaining confidence, and I think he will finally do alright.